Cinnamon Buns and Dreams Really Do Come True 6/8 & 6/9/10

Good Morning! We kept hearing about how good these cinnamon buns from Johnson’s Crossing was and of course this was the first stop of the day. The owner wanted to know if we wanted to share one since they are so big --- Oh you funny man you! Ohhh nooo. We will each have one thank you. Yum! Now this is the way to start your day. Four more and an apple turnover found their way into our RV. Funny how that happened.

We are going to Skagway and the drive along the Skagway River is is is … what word can I use? You will have to find it.       I can’t believe it, pinch me please, another life long dream has become a reality. I am in Alaska!!!

Skagway, once a wild west town, is now a cruise ship town.                                                                                             Most of the city of  Skagway with 2 ships in at the far right                                                           The 800 full time residents need the cruise industry for their lively hood. The main street is actually Broadway,  with a boardwalk for a sidewalk and historical buildings, it is a bustling street when the cruise ships are in port.                                                                                         This building front is made up of drift wood                                                                                                                                                                                                                  The oldest building in Skagway.                                                                                                                                                       “Soapy” Jeff Smith was the crime boss of Skagway who eventually would be shot dead, a bullet through the heart.                                                                                                                We took a tour of the town with a National Park Service Ranger and learned about how tough the gold rush people were to get up to the Yukon and Alaska. We also learned of another town that was 9 miles away called Dyea and at one time there was 15,000 people who lived there but it is now a ghost town. We drove over there and walked on the tidal flats and hiked some of the trails and saw where the remnants of the warehouse and dock once stood. The town faded over time when the railroad was built to Skagway which made Skagway the commercial port . We were lucky to see an otter on land just rolling and playing on the tidal flats and keeping an eye on us.  We found the Gold Rush Cemetery and walked all around there. They sure did not live long back then. Seemed the average age there was mid forties. I could hear moving water when we were at the cemetery and I needed to find out where it was coming from. So a quick stroll led us to this gorgeous waterfall.   An unexpected treat.

For Tommy’s birthday we had a cupcake and then we went “bar hopping” at 2 of the 3 bar/restaurants in town for chicken wings (his choice) and to watch the fight for the Stanley Cup. Didn’t get the game at one place but we did at the next, hence the “bar hopping”.  Oh we were so close! Maybe next year the Flyers will pull it off. They lost 4-3 in OT.  But we met Art and Albert who was in port on their cruise and we had a great night hanging out with them.